harkhand is in the thick of five-phase elections for the State assembly. In the last elections held in 2005, BJP had emerged as the single largest party. In the Lok Sabha elections in May 2009 BJP had recorded a win in eight constituencies, plus one independent supported by it, out of a total of 14 seats in the State. BJP is the natural alternative in Jharkhand. There is no doubt about it. People are saying this openly and the BJP opponents know it too well. All that remains to be accomplished is that BJP has to concentrate all its energies at making the people translate their will and resolve on the polling day by exercising their right to franchise. Many questions are uppermost in the mind of the three-crore people of Jharkhand today. Could Shri Madhu Koda, on his own, have succeeded in committing a scam worth over Rs. 4,500 crores all alone? If he is not alone, then who are his co-conspirators and facilitators? He has also threatened that if he was harassed, he would spell the beans. Without the connivance of people in the UPA at the Centre, how could Shri Koda siphon out hundreds of crores of rupees out of India without anybody at the Centre getting even a smell of it? Nobody at the Centre raised a frown and objection to what was going on under the nose of the Congress and UPA. These are the questions that cry for answer. Shri Madhu Koda and his supporting parties in the alliance like Congress, RJD, and JMM etc. cannot go unscathed out of this mud of corruption scandal. People are already losing their faith in the politicians of today. An impression has gained ground in the mind of the people that certain individuals take to politics only to cheat and loot the people. If the questions raised by the Koda episode fail to erase the doubts that have surface in the mind of the people, politicians will further go down in the estimation of the people. Another suspicion has raised its head in the mind of the people: If an individual, like Shri Madhu Koda, could swindle hundreds of crores in just 23 months, what would have others done who have occupied this seat for pretty long? If the names of persons in the diary of Shri Madhu Koda are "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

not made public immediately and no case is registered against him and his associates in Congress and other parties in time, it will fail to instil confidence among the people. They will doubt the sincerity and honesty of the UPA government in digging out the truth and punishing the guilty. The Madhu Koda scam is a challenge to the administrative skill and political sagacity of the country. It is a sad commentary on the efficiency, alertness and agility of our system that a chief minister could indulge in criminal activities in violation of the law of the land and yet the Union government should not get even a hint of it for three years. It is beyond belief. The Government must step in to act to infuse confidence in the minds of the people that it means business and nobody, however high or low, will be spared if he has committed any wrong. This has to be done by the government in right earnest. We all know that when the patience of the people to tolerate such anarchy in administration cracked up, they throng the streets and take the law into their own hands. Let UPA not allow the situation to drift so much that people lose faith in the government and its capacity to enforce law.

Why no case against opponents of National Song? In the light of the controversy raised over the singing of Vande Mataram, the UPA government owes a duty to tell the people of India whether it is a National Song or not. If it is, how is refusing to sing or to issue any religious fatwa against its singing not a national dishonour and a crime? Has anybody the right to question and disrespect the rashtra geet that is played on the conclusion of the adjournment of the two houses of Parliament? If nobody has, then why is it that not action is being taken against all those indulging in such activities? The time has come when the Union Government must come out unequivocally on the issue. So far it had all along been playing politics on the issue which, for all intents and purposes, is national and above the narrow constraints of politics. The prevarication in the mind of the UPA government is making certain sections to dare to come out in opposition to the National Song. No nationalist government worth its name can put up with what is being said to denigrate the national song. Instead of allowing the controversy to prolong and embolden people to say something against the National Song, it is better if the Government settles the issue once for all. If the Government is sincere and honest, let it send out a message loud and clear that it is not going to tolerate any disrespect to the National Song and anybody who dares to do that will be tried under the law of the land.

No record on Syama Prasad Mookerjee's death available: Home Ministry Does any document exist pertaining to the death of Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee in a Jammu and Kashmir prison 55 years ago? The officials of the Home Ministry seem to have no clear answer about it as they could not come up with any "satisfactory" reply to the queries of an RTI applicant, who filed his plea in this regard. Instead, the Ministry kept moving the application to different sections without providing any answer, applicant Jaydeep Mukherjee, who is also a functionary of the All India Legal Aid Forum,said. One of his questions was whether the files pertaining to the death of the right-wing leader were confidential or not. But the ministry could not even ascertain that. "The application was forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs on August 07 from Central Information Commission. Deputy Secretary (Home Ministry) S K Bhatnagar forwarded it to Director, T N Chugh on August 17. The application was again forwarded to JK Division which sent it to another division of the Ministry. No satisfactory reply was ever given," he said. Jaydeep said the ministry also forwarded the documents to Lok Sabha Secretariat as one of the questions related to the statement made by then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, but no satisfactory reply was received. (PTI) December 1-15,

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Rajnath Singh writes to PM

Stop discrimination against Indians in Australia BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh writes to Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh about the discrimination being meted out to Indians in Australia. He asked the PM to take up all the issues with the visiting Australian Prime Minister

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Jharkhand BJP election manifesto released

BJP will change the face of Jharkhand : Raman Singh

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erming Bharatiya Janata Chhattisgarh and provision of social Party’s election manifesto other BJP-ruled State auditing of the as that of faith and and he said that it will performance for the commitment, Chhattisgarh Chief have a far reaching e l e c t e d Minister Dr. Raman Singh praised impact in the coming representatives the the state BJP for announcing to days while adding that BJP promised to provide rice and wheat at Rs. 1/ per it must go along with make regulations for kg and salt at 25 paisa per kg to BPL the provision of the declaration of families, if the party was voted to employment for the work done under power in the Assembly election in people. He also asked MLA Area Jharkhand. Development Fund the people not to He said this while addressing undermine BJP’s decision to provide every year. It will bring suitable the media on the sidelines of the salt at such a cheap price. Dr. Singh amendment to make administration release of the BJP election manifesto narrated experiences of his State transparent where the performance at the party headquarters on where tribals for a pinch of salt often of the officials will be evaluated on November 19. The 44 pages sell their belongings and change the regular basis. manifesto, which the leaders rather their religion sometimes. Reminding that Jharkhand and identified as a holy contract between Citing corruption as the major Chhattisgarh were formed on the the party and the people has poll plank of the party and offered same day by the BJP led NDA touched core issues and problems solution to control it and making Government, Dr. Singh rued that the that dog the State and the Jharkhand lagged people from the past nine Job to one million youths in the next five years and emphasis behind in development on Sampurna Rojgar years. making it a matter of Loans to farmers at interest rate of two percent and a loan concern. Reasons, he Highlighting the upto Rs.25, 000/- to unemployed youths also at the interest said: “Lack of political core issues touched by rate of two percent. the BJP in its manifesto, will and a stable Rice and Wheat at Re.1/- per kg and salt at 25 paisa per kg government Dr. Singh said that it will in to the families living below poverty line (BPL). prove instrumental in J h a r k h a n d changing the face of State Special grant for irrigation, drinking water and water reservoir compounded the for each and every village. which badly needs problem.” development and a stable Poor people will be provided three lakh houses and ration He also pointed cards would be made available to all families in the state out that Jharkhand government. within three months. Dr. Singh in despite having huge Arrangement of village court particular claimed that the deposits of coal is BJP was concerned Constructive initiative to eradicate naxalism insufficient in power towards the food One lakh self help groups (SHGs) and farming groups for generation and development of villages. security. The scheme advised the State (wheat at Rs. one per kg Rajya Laxami Yojana and Ladali Laxami Yojana leadership to follow the and salt at 25 paise per To control skyrocketing price rise at any cost model of the BJP ruled kg to BPL families) was a BJP promises to constitute State and District level advisory States Gujarat, councils by ensuring representation to different classes of society. Karnataka, Madhya part of it (food security) and would prove a BJP believes that stringent measures should be taken Pradesh and against the public servants who have amassed huge wealth Chhattisgarh which milestone in Jharkhand disproportionate to the known source of their income have made quantum also after it had through corrupt means. Therefore the BJP government jump successfully worked in in power will make strong laws to punish such people by speedy generation due to other BJP ruled States. disposal of the cases and to confiscate their illegal planned development. The announcement properties acquired through corrupt means. is a direct lift from (FOC) December 1-15,

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Make list of suspects in Koda scandal public : Jaitley

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eader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Arun Jaitley has demanded that “the Union government must make public the list of people suspected involved in the Koda scandal, especially as the election process in Jharkhand is on and the people have the right to know”. Speaking to media persons Shri Jaitley said two former Ministers have been arrested and chargesheeted; the former Chief Minister, Shri Madhu Koda, is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate and the Vigilance

Department; there is a buzz that many more politicians are involved in the scandalous network, which is being slowly unveiled; and it is time the government made public the list of suspects. Shri Jaitley said that so far it was the media that was digging out something based on leakage of information from the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department and others. It was time the government came out with official information. People had the right to know so that they would not vote for those involved in the scam, he added.

Congress shielding Koda and his associates : BJP

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he Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the Congress was trying to shield former Jharkhand chief minister Shri Madhu Koda and his associates facing charges of laundering Rs.4,500 crore. Jharkhand State BJP president, Shri Raghubar Das, in a joint press conference with former chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Shri Arjun Munda, said: “The Congress is trying to shield Koda and his two associates Vinod Sinha and Sanjay Chaudhary. The arrest warrants against Sinha and Chaudhary were delayed deliberately to help them weaken the evidence and escape from the country.” Though the Income Tax (IT) authorities issued arrest warrants against Sinha and Chaudhary, yet Shri Das said: “The way the Koda probe is being handled raises many questions. We are not satisfied with the pace of investigations and it seems there is a move to protect the people involved in the case.” On the role of Arjun Munda as chief minister of a BJP government when Koda was mines and geology minister, he said: “The final authority is the central government to decide on iron ore mines allocation. The state government only makes recommendation of mines. The role of the central government should also be probed in mines allocation as the investigation is from 2004 onwards - when the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) was ruling the country.” Shri Das has demanded a CBI probe from 2001 onwards. “As per media reports, in Koda’s diary the names of many Congress and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leaders figure, and their roles should also be probed,” said Das. December 1-15,

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Instead of trial by the media through insinuation and leaks, the government should let the people know where the investigations stood and whose names were thrown up as possible links in the long criminal chain of people who might have together, or through a criminal conspiracy, looted the people of Jharkhand, he said. Shri Jaitley hinted that there was a buzz about some prominent “Congressmen” being part of this criminal chain. This makes it all the more imperative that the government set the record straight, he said. (FOC)

Koda‘s scam brought a bad name to Jharkhand : Prabhat Jha

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n a letter to the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil, BJP MP Shri Prabhat Jha has demanded that the former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Madhu Koda should be asked to reveal names of all those involved in this case of corruption. In his letter Shri Jha said that the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) who facilitated the formation of his government and supported him stand exposed before the people of the state. He said the episode had brought a bad name to Jharkhand. Shri Jha said that the threat given by Shri Koda to expose everyone was a clear indication that highly placed people were involved in the massive corruption and demanded he be provided adequate security. Referring to Shri Koda’s complaint of difficulties faced by him, Shri Jha said steps should be taken to see that he is safe, ‘All of us know that 13 of 15 witnesses in Bihar’s fodder scam are no more,’ he said. The BJP leader expressed apprehension that those behind the loot in Jharkhand could resort to violence to prevent their names from being revealed.

Loot of the land By Chandan Mitra

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evered sage Ramakrishna Reddy brothers' audacious bid to reports in this connection are based Paramhans, made even more dislodge the State's popular Chief on second or third hand sources. famous by his principal Minister and install a puppet or their The Pioneer last week ran an disciple Swami Vivekanand who own kin in the chair) finally alerted investigative report identifying the founded the Ramakrishna Mission, opinion makers to the need for beneficiaries of Madhu Koda's I doubt if largesse, detailing companies that held material cravings in disdain. rectification. Once, offered a vast some of money investigations in either case will applied for large iron-ore rich blocks by a devotee, the sage is believed yield the desired results, given the to be allotted to them in the name of to have remarked: "Taka ki? Taka clout of the personalities involved, setting up integrated steel plants. maati, maati taka (What is money? proverbial malleability of the CBI and Many of these outfits are recent Money is as useless as clay and the excruciatingly slow pace of entrants to the mining arena, have no proven record of successfully clay is as useless as money)." This judicial action. Meanwhile in Odisha, an running steel factories, and are popular saying has often been used clearly fronts for bigger by Bengali intellectuals to players. As in the case of justify their nonchalant the Rs 60,000 crore telecom attitude towards wealth For a growing band of mine sharks scam presided over by accumulation and contempt spread across Karnataka, Andhra Minister A Raja, allottees for those who pursue money- Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and mines in Jharkhand making. However, Jharkhand, maati has indeed become of obviously intended to grab Ramakrishna's dictum has the land and then sell the now been turned on its head taka. You need only to scrape the allotment to bigger sharks, as more and more surface of the land, load the soil on making a killing in the entrepreneurs discover that trucks and drive to the nearest port for process. While many soil is worth its weight in gold. rumours about the alleged For a growing band of mine export (mainly to China). Then you recipients of huge sharks spread across laugh all the way to the bank kickbacks have been doing Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and equally big mining scam was finally the rounds of the media and political Jharkhand, maati has indeed become unearthed almost accidentally. The circles, few have bothered to find taka. You need only to scrape the Supreme Court has acted swiftly in out who the alleged bribe givers surface of the land, load the soil on response to a PIL and banned could be. Juicy gossip and mudtrucks and drive to the nearest port operations in 157 mines besides slinging on members of the political for export (mainly to China). Then ordering the offices of more than 50 class are undoubtedly interesting, you laugh all the way to the bank. accused mining companies to be but cannot be a substitute for a hardThe scale of this theft of Indian sealed. Unfortunately, these steps nosed probe into the role of those soil is truly gargantuan. In progress are akin to closing the stable doors who were required to cough up for the last decade or so, it is only after the horses bolted, because hundreds of crores in exchange for now that the media and judiciary mine-owners have already amassed allotment of mining leases. The dangers inherent in the have woken up to this rampant loot huge amounts through illegal mining of the country's natural resources. and exported vast quantities of iron emergence of a new class of parvenu Unfortunately, none has mounted ore especially during the boom entrepreneurs, no better than the kind of feisty campaign required period in the run-up to the Beijing carpetbaggers, have been explicitly revealed by the machinations of the to bring this scandal to light and Olympics of 2008. Few independent Reddy brothers of Bellary. enforce accountability. However, the size of the Madhu Koda scam, investigations have been mounted Arguably, the Andhra Pradesh (which coincided with Karnataka's into these scams. The bulk of media Government has suddenly gone December 1-15,

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ballistic and demanded a probe into the scandals that involve not only the Reddy brothers but also a clutch of players promoted by the coterie around the State's deceased Chief Minister YS Rajshekhar Reddy. But the reason for incumbent Chief Minister K Rosaiah's hyperactivity lies in his eagerness to expose his principal challenger Jaganmohan Reddy who is apparently being sponsored by the mining lobby. Even if Rosaiah is driven by the self-preservation motive, at least he has taken a bold initiative. The State that has escaped limelight so far despite being one of India's most mineral rich is Odisha, probably because its Chief Minister appears to have been born with a Teflon-coated reputation - nothing usually sticks to him. In the absence of 'smoking gun' evidence, it may be difficult to directly charge him with complicity in the systematic loot of the poverty-ridden State's mineral resources, but recent reports clearly indict him with acts of omission if not commission. A fortnight back I accompanied a team of BJP leaders, including three MPs, to the epicentre of the scam - Barbil in Odisha's impoverished Keonjhar district. Regular readers may recall my article United Killing Co in these columns last May in which I had written about this sleepy town where I spent much of my childhood. I lamented Barbil's loss of innocence over the last two decades but admitted that it was a price one probably had to pay for development as it has come to mean. Returning to Barbil after six months, this time in an investigator's role, I was shocked to discover the modus operandi of the mining mafia, which regrettably features the Who's Who of the country's industry barons. Continued on page 14 December 1-15,

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People-to-people contact creates trust between countries : Advani From Our Correspondent “Terrorism, fueled by religious extremism, poses a threat to the entire civilised world. A determined global cooperation is a must to ward off the threat of terrorism” This was stated by Shri L.K Advani, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, while presiding over a session at Community Development and Leadership Summit organized by Modern School, Barakhamba Road, on November 11in New Delhi. About 73 students from 11 countries took part in the summit, which commenced on November 7. It was expected to promote leadership, cultural exchanges between participating countries, social responsibility and international brotherhood. Addressing the summit, Shri Advani further said: “As far as India is concerned, we must become strong and resolute in fighting this scourge of terrorism which has been imported from outside. A weak nation cannot face this campaign of terrorism which imperils our national unity, integrity and security. India must become strong in every sense of the word.” Sharing his views on the importance of good governance and clean politics, Shri Advani said, “I have been a political activist for nearly six decades and I have always tried to serve my nation honestly. My political life has taught me that politics is a noble profession and there should be a commitment to clean politics.” There is no doubt,

he said, that India has made tremendous progress in many fields in recent decades. The Commonwealth Games next year will make New Delhi even more attractive, he added. Shri Advani further said that nothing creates as close a bond of friendship and mutual cooperation between people of different countries and cultures as people-topeople contact. If such bonds are established at an international gathering like this summit, they become durable and last lifelong. “People professing all faiths have equal rights and freedom in India”, he said. “Although Hindus constitute the majority community in India, yet our Constitution is not theocratic” he said. During the inter-active session, a student from Philippine Science High School asked, “There is a lot of corruption in my country. How can the youth contribute in eradicating corruption?” Shri Advani replied, “Corruption can very well be dealt by appropriate institutions and by the personal examples oF those in office.” Principal of Modern School Smt. Lata Vaidyanathan, school students from India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Ukraine, United States of America and United Arab Emirates and the students and teachers of Modern School were present on the occasion.

enior BJP leader and former Union Minister Dr. MM Joshi came down heavily on the Congress-led UPA Government for its failure to contain unbridled price rise of all essential commodities. Dr. Joshi told a media conference at Puri, “History says that whenever the Congress is in power at the Centre, prices of all commodities go up and the trend reverses when Opposition comes to power’’. Initially, the Congress blamed it on the global recession which had little impact on the country. Now the global economy is on the path of recovery but there no sign of prices easing, he said. Despite the fact that India is one of the major producers of potato, onion and other vegetables and the second largest producer of pulses, the prices of all these had gone beyond the reach of the common man. There is small scarcity of sugar which can be managed through imports, he added. He said an artificial scarcity has been created in the market by the traders in nexus with politicians and bureaucrats. The artificial scarcity of essential commodities is the result of forward trading promoted by the UPA Government to loot the public, he said.

Hike in food grain price biggest scam of UPA : N S Tomar

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adhya Pradesh BJP State President Shri Narendra Singh Tomar MP has said that the price rise of food grain was the biggest scam of the UPA Government. He further said that the policies of UPA Government have enabled the hoarders, profiteers and stockists to take advantage, which has caused the scarcity of food grains in the country. The problem is not of real scarcity but the stockests, hoarders and the profiteers, who are flourishing under the policies of UPA Government has created this dearth. Shri Tomar further said that common consumers and the farmers of the country are suffering and the UPA Government is not making any positive attempts for them because the Congress is collecting election funds from these profiteers and hoarders. There is downfall in the prices of foodgrain all over the world, whereas in India, there is 70 per cent increase in grain prices. He further stated that on one hand sugar and jaggery is sold at Rs 40 and Rs 50 respectively, on the other hand the farmers of Uttar Pradesh are burning their sugar cane crops as they are not getting expected profits. Shri Tomar said that in 2008, Union Ministry of Agriculture had announced that there is adequate availably of sugar, then the Government knowing the fact that there would be lesser supply in 2009 had given permission for export. Thereafter, on the rate of Rs 12 per kg, 48 lakh tonnes had been sold and in the next 6 months Government had imported 70 lakh tone at the rate of Rs 27 per December 1-15,

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kg, which is the biggest scam of UPA Government. He said that the UPA Government has removed the selfdependency of the country in edible oils and created the import dependency. “Today our country is importing 50 per cent of edible oil and the UPA Government is responsible for this crisis,” he added.

Too hot to handle Arhar, moong move out of fair price shelves

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he skyrocketing prices of pulses have put the Delhi Government on the backfoot. Arhar and moong priced at Rs 90-100 per kg in open market have been taken off the list of items to be sold at subsidised rates in 132 fair price centers in the national Capital. According to a Pioneer report, the Grain Merchants’ Association has agreed to sell pulses at reduced rates without arhar and moong from Kendriya Bhandar and circle office of Delhi Government’s food supply offices. The wholesale and retail prices of wheat and atta have shown a sharp increase in the last three months. Wheat dara which was selling at Rs 13.90 per kg is now being sold at Rs 14.50 per kg, and atta which was selling at Rs 14 -15 in September is being sold at Rs 17.50 per kg in the retail market. Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dikshit admitted that it does not have control over demand and supply of the commodities and we are concerned about rising prices of wheat flour, dal,” she added.

Inflation of food items rises to 14.55%

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he rate of inflation of food items went up to 14.55 per cent in the first week of November, 2009 according to official data released on November 20. On weekly basis, on November 20, 2009 inflation rose 0.87% from 13.68% in the preceding week. On yearly basis, prices of potatoes went up by a whopping 102.47%, onions by 38.24% and pulses by 27.03%.milk became costlier by 11.3% and fruit rose 9.6%. Rice became dearer by 11.7 per cent and wheat by 12.6 per cent.

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Inflation of non- food articles also rose to 0.59 per cent from - 0.17 per cent a week ago and the price rise in fuel, power, light and lubricants was higher at 1.51 per cent compared to 1.71 per cent. The data showed that prices of all goods have risen on a yearly basis. On the other hand, prices of urad , mutton, moong, condiments and spices and wheat rose by three per cent each and milk, gram, river fish and eggs by one per cent each Among non-food articles, raw jute turned costlier by seven per cent, fodder by five per cent and raw cotton by three per cent. But prices of soyabean and raw rubber fell by one per cent each.

Govt mulls rice import while FCI stocks spill

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T is indeed a poor reflection on the government’s foodgrain management that the country is looking at imports as a way to bring down prices of rice

despite overflowing stocks in the Centre’s own godowns. According to a Mail Today report the government is also going in for imports at a time when the country’s own harvest of paddy is coming in. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) runs into storage problems at harvest time. During the last wheat harvest, it had started moving out fresh stocks of wheat from Punjab while old stocks still lay in the godowns at the risk of deterioration in quality. The lethargic handling of foodgrain movement by FCI appears to be adding to the inflationary pressure on the food front. The ground reality is that these stocks are not being moved quickly enough to the consumers. While there has been double digit rise in rice prices in recent months, the amount of excess stocks in the government godowns has also been growing. In fact, there is not enough space in the FCI Continued on page 16

BJP organizes successful Delhi bandh against price rise

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elhi Bandh organized by the BJP in protest against price rise was completely successful and peaceful on November 13. The BJP Delhi Pradesh President Prof. Om Prakash Kohli thanked the people of Delhi for supporting the Bandh. He especially thanked the traders, shopkeepers, workers, unorganized sectors and the students for coming out in support of the Bandh. Prof. Kohli told that the special feature of the BJP Delhi Bandh was that it was completely peaceful. There was neither any violence nor any destruction and there was no

pressure for any thing. There is anguish among the people against the price rise and it was the objective of the Bandh to give it an expression. In order to avoid any harassment to the people the BJP kept the essential services and transport out of the purview of Bandh. In entire Delhi the BJP workers, Pradesh leaders and common people formed teams taking banners and anti price rise placards in their hands marched through the markets appealing to the people to support the Delhi Bandh. On December 1-15,

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various crossings the effigies of price rise and Delhi Government were burnt. When the Chief Minister of Delhi reached for an inauguration programme in GTB Hospital in East Delhi, the local people protested by showing black flags. BJP President Prof. Om Prakash Kohli, the leader of the Opposition in Delhi State Assembly Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, National General Secretary of BJP Shri Vijay Goel, former Chief Minister Shri Madan Lal Khurana, former Presidents Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Shri Mange Ram Garg, former Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Leader of the House in MCD Shri Subash Arya, Pradesh BJP General Secretaries Shri Ramesh Bidhuri, Shri R.P. Singh, Pravesh Verma, Pradesh Secretaries Shri Ashish Sood and Shri Satish Upadhayaya, Pradesh Treasurer and Trader leader Shri Praveen Khandelwal led the Delhi Bandh campaign at various places.BJP Yuva Morcha, Mahila Morcha, Minority Morcha and Kisan Morcha also took out processions at various places. In various areas the BJP leaders and workers actively worked for effecting Delhi Bandh. In Greater

he price rise in food sector is the biggest scam of UPA, which has allowed speculators to loot the people of the country by manipulating food prices. It is not the case of real shortages but it is a case of largescale hoarding and jacking up prices through commodity exchange. The farmers and consumers are exploited and only speculators are benefiting. Government has become mute spectator and not showing any real interest in any serious action on this front. The Government has no political will to bring down the prices as the ruling party has received large election funds from these speculators. Congress should not think that the recent electoral success is mandate for allowing price rise. BJP warns the Govt. that it will face the wrath of the people if it fails to take immediate steps and curb the price rise. It is ironical that when the world is witnessing slump in food prices, India is witnessing a rise of 17%. It is also irony that while the sugar is being sold at Rs. 40 per KG and Jaggery at Rs. 50, the sugarcane growers in UP is burning their standing crop because they are not getting remunerative prices. Policies of the UPA Govt. are directly responsible for this situation. Last year agriculture ministry declared that sugar is available in abundance and allowed exports, knowing fully well that there will be short supply this year. As a result we exported 48 Lakh Tons of sugar at Rs. 12 last year and within six months we are now importing 70 Lakh Tons of sugar at December 1-15,

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Rs. 27 per KG. This is the scam, which needs to be probed by CBI. UPA Govt. converted self sufficiency in edible oil and made India into a net import dependant country. Today we are importing 50% of our requirement mainly from Malaysia. UPA Govt. is guilty of killing the oil seed farming and edible oil industry in the country. UPA destroyed the PDS and reduced the quantities of food grains to the poor from 35 kg per month to merely 15-

20 kg per month. It allowed private companies to purchase food grains directly from farmers and further allowed implicitly to hoard and to profit. BJP demands • CBI Enquiry in sugar scam • Amendment in the hoarding rules • Supply of pulses, edible oil, wheat, rice and sugar at reasonable prices through PDS by giving subsidy. • Govt. should declare long term agriculture pricing and market pricing policy. • Ban on forward trading in all food items including spices on commodity exchange.

BJP slams Metro fare hike

It exposes real face of Congress : V. K. Malhotra

Delhi BJP strongly criticised the decision to increase Metro fares in the national Capital and demanded their immediate rollback. Slamming the Delhi government for allowing the hike, Leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly, Prof. V K Malhotra said the decision exposed “the real face of the Congress regime”. Questioning the justification for the decision, Prof. Malhotra asked why has the metro fare been increased when Delhi Metro is running in profit. “It is another blow to the residents after the bus fare hike,” he said. He demanded immediate roll back of the hike, according to a Press statement by the party.

Malhotra writes to Sreedharan The Delhi unit of the BJP has felt concerned at the plight of passengers and their inconvenience because of overcrowding in Delhi Metro trains. In a letter to DMRC Managing Director Shri E. Sreedharan on November 18, Prof. V. K. Malhotra, leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly, asked the DMRC to make its network more user friendly by increasing the number of trains between major destinations. He has also requested Shri Shreedharan to increase the number of coaches in trains. “Most trains are often overcrowded which makes the journey difficult. Take effective and qualitative steps to reduce recovery time from technical snags,” Prof. Malhotra said. In view of the problem of overcrowding in stations and train delays due to technical snags the opposition wrote the letter to DMRC Managing Director. (FOC)

armers from all parts of the country congregated for agitation over sugarcane pricing outside Parliament in New Delhi on November 19. And Opposition leaders cutting across the political divide led the agitation. BJP’s Shri Arun Jaitley, SP chief Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shri Amar Singh, JD(U) chief Shri Sharad Yadav, CPM’s Shri Basudeb Acharia, CPI’s Shri Gurudas Dasgupta and Shri D. Raja and a couple of AIADMK MPs all shared the dais after the Lok Sabha was adjourned and attacked the UPA government for being “anti-farmer”. Around 100,000 farmers gathered for the protest. The farmers were protesting against the Centre’s Fair and Remunerative Pricing system for sugarcane that is much lesser to what they received last year.

T h e C e n t r a l government h a s announced a price of Rs129.85 per quintal for sugarcane during the 2009-’10 under the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) system, while the Uttar Pradesh State Advisory Price (SAP) has been set between Rs.165 and Rs.170 per quintal. The BJP moved an adjournment motion on November 19 in both houses to highlight the incorrect policies of the UPA government on sugarcane price. As a result parliament was adjourned till 23 November. BJP MP Shri Varun Gandhi and RLD’s Shri Jayant Singh

led the opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha in the charge towards the speaker’s podium on second consecutive day. Though Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) and Left parties supported the agitation, their members did not join them. The MPs kept shouting slogan “Kala kanoon vapas lo” against the October 21 government ordinance of dropping Rs.35 per quintal in price farmers get for their crop. (FOC)

Continued from page 9 We visited six mines during the day I spent there and discovered contractors merrily digging away on land outside the leased area, continuing operations in mines whose lease had long expired, flouting laws that prohibit encroachment on forest land and, in one case, digging under a reserved forest to escape attention. I learnt that each truck that headed its way out of the myriad iron ore and manganese mines around Barbil would fetch Rs 6,000 at the peak of demand last year. The price has come down since, but that in turn has spurred more illegal mining because it comes absolutely free except labour cost, which in this part of the country is appallingly low. There are no checks or records, forest guards, municipal and revenue officers are all believed to be on the take, and at least 5,000 fully loaded trucks make the long journey to Paradip every night. I am not against mining as such, but believe that the people of India have a right to know why our national wealth is being pilfered in this manner. By bribing politicians and bureaucrats, the mining mafia has mounted massive loot whose benefits have completely bypassed the tribals and other inhabitants of these areas. This is a national scandal and we must demand its immediate cessation as well as action against the looters. Anybody robbing private property is arraigned before the law and sent to prison, but what about those who brazenly seize the collective property of 1.1 billion Indians? Shouldn't they be punished too? (Courtesy: The Pioneer) December 1-15,

ctivists of the Bharatiya Janata Party courted arrest breaking police cordon in front of State Legislative Assembly in Bhubaneswar, on November 19 while staging a demonstration in protest against farmers’ suicide. The BJP activists also registered their protest against the Government apathy to the distressed farmers by enacting a symbolic cremation of farmers who committed suicide due to loan burden and crop failure. A mock funeral procession for the 27 deceased farmers was the highlight of the BJP rally organised

by the Krishak Morcha of the party on November 19 on the first day of the winter session of the Assembly, to expose the ruling BJD Govt’ antifarmer policies. More than 20,000 party activists and farmers from the State took part in the stir. The activists led by BJP

Farmers' suicides rock Odisha Assembly The issue of farmers' suicides rocked the Odisha State Assembly consecutively for the second day on November 20. Demanding that an obituary reference be made in the Assembly on the deceased farmers, the Opposition BJP created a ruckus throughout the day. However, the Government was not in a mood to make oblige. “The farmers’ community will not forgive us if we fail to make an obituary reference to the deceased farmers,” said the leaders. It is important to mention that 27 farmers committed suicide in the state in the last one month. BJP member Shri Jayanarayan Mishra said incidents of farmer suicides are continuing unabated. “About 95 per cent people depend on agriculture. So a condolence motion should be moved,” Shri Mishra opined. Other members also supported the demand of these two members. “There is nothing wrong in paying homage to farmers. Traditions have already been violated. Never in the history of Odisha, on an important day when a budget was going to be presented, the House was adjourned for the death of an ex-Governor. Many things have been violated. Why the legislators would not set trend by moving a motion for the farmers who fed the country,” said the opposition leaders. BJP legislature party leader Shri KV Singh Deo said all should come forward to pay their homage to the deceased farmers. “There is nothing wrong in setting a new tradition for the overall welfare of the society,” said Shri Deo. However, Treasury bench members were not in a mood to subscribe to the theories of the Opposition. The ruling BJD members opposed the move. December 1-15,

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State President Suresh Pujari, National VicePresident Shri Jual Oram, Shri Biswabhusan Harichandan, Krushak Morcha State president Shri Krushna Jagdev and many other leaders started in a huge procession from the party office and congregated at PMG Square in Bhubaneswar. In the procession the families of the 27 farmers who have lost their lives also took part. The slogan-shouting BJP activists demanded immediate resignation of Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik for his Government’s failure on all fronts. Senior leaders addressed a gathering of party workers and supporters at the State party office before the rally. They lambasted the Government for its lack of concern for the distressed farmers even after the suicide of 27 farmers. Neither the Chief Minister nor any of his Cabinet colleagues has visited the bereaved farmers’ families. The multi-crore mining scam and involvement of several ministers, ruling party legislators and senior bureaucrats have exposed the Government which has been claiming to be transparent and corruption- free, they said and urged the Chief Minister to step down on moral grounds.

While the law and order situation is at its nadir, the Government has miserably failed to check price rise of essential commodities. The Chief Minister preferred to blame the Centre for all the ills of the State and claimed credit for every success, they remarked. A large number of party leaders and supporters were arrested when they tried to force themselves towards Assembly by breaking police cordon. BJP State President Shri Suresh Pujari, BJP National Vice President Shri Jual Oram, senior leaders Shri BB Harichandan, Shri Manmohan Samal, Shri Bijay Mohapatra, Shri Rudra Narayan Pani, Smt. Archana Nayak, Smt. Surama Padhi, Shri Nayan Kishore Mohanty, Shri Krushak Morcha president Shri Krushna Jagdev were prominent among those arrested by the police. However, they were released after a while.

UP sugarcane farmer commits suicide Distressed at not getting an adequate price for his produce, according to TOI, a debt-ridden sugarcane farmer Isbuddin (51), a resident of Asara village in Baghpat allegedly committed suicide on November 20. The victim burnt his fields in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district and then jumped in the fire, police said. According to locals, Isbuddin was depressed for the last few days and had even stopped talking to his family members. In order to repay his loans, Isbuddin wanted to sell his produce for a minimum of Rs.270 per quintal. The State Advisory Price (SAP) has been set between Rs.165 and Rs.170 per quintal. Farmers, however, want Rs.280 per quintal for their produce. December 1-15,

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PM’s special package & a Congress govt Yet 7 farmer suicides in a day in Vidarbha Despite the Prime Minister’s special package and a Congress-led Government in Maharashtra, farmers in State’s Vidarbha region continue to commit suicide with the same pace. Seven farmers in the region have killed themselves within 24 hours According to a report in The Hindustan Times on November 18, 2009, among the victims, five were from Yavatmal district — one of the most suicide-prone districts in the region — while the other two were from Wardha and Gondia districts. The victims have been identified as: Babu Singh Rathod (50) of Jawla village, Kailash Lakde (38), Narli, Laxman Chelpelwar (50) of Mukutvan, Madhukar Gaddamwar (32) of the same village, Vijaya Kawduji Yelure (46), Jhargaon (all in Yavatmal district), Namdeo Hiware of PimpalgaonLokhandi (Wardha) and Premlal Patle of Jamkhedi in Gondia district. Four of them committed suicide by swallowing pesticide and Vijaya ended her life by setting herself on fire on November 17 night. All the victims had borrowed from banks and private moneylenders and were facing hardship due to crop failure after inadequate rainfall. As many as 154 suicides by cotton farmers have been reported in Yavatmal district while the figure was 142 in Amravati district alone this year. (FOC) Continued from page 11 godowns and foodgrain is being stored in the open under plinth and cover. There have even been instances of wheat rotting in Punjab as it was stored in the open. Official figures show that on July 31 the central pool had 185.52 lakh tonnes of rice while the buffer stock norms stipulate that 98 lakh tonnes are sufficient to meet the country’s requirement on this date. The situation has taken a turn for the worse during August and September due to the slow movement of stocks. The amount of rice in the Central pool on October 1 this year was still a whopping 153.49 lakh tonnes, which is nearly three times the amount of 52 lakh tonnes that is required under the buffer stock norms at this point. Both Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and food and agriculture minister Shri Sharad Pawar have been saying that there are adequate stocks of wheat and rice in the Central pool and the country would not be facing any problem on the food front as far as cereals are concerned. So, question arises if stocks are adequate then why the Union govt. importing rice and for whose benefit.

Proud to sing Vande Mataram By Kanchan Gupta

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here is understandable disquiet over the resolution adopted by Jamiat Ulama-iHind during its 30th general session at Deoband from November 1-3. “The grand session of Jamiat Ulamai-Hind while expressing concern over communal hatred and violence exploiting the issue of Vande Mataram, condemns the provocative activities in this connection,” the resolution says, “We can love and serve our country, but cannot elevate it to the status of Allah, the only one worshipped by Muslims… The fatwa of Darul Uloom (Deoband) is correct… This house demands that the issue of Vande Mataram not be deliberately raised for causing communal discord and threat to law and order.” Not be deliberately raised? This is truly astounding. Without any provocation whatsoever, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind adopts a resolution endorsing a fatwa against Vande Mataram issued by Darul Uloom, Deoband, and urging India’s Muslims not to sing the National Song lest it defile Islam. Yet it wants the resolution to be seen as a warning to those “causing communal discord and threat to law and order” — a not-so-thinly veiled reference to Hindus — by “deliberately” raising the “issue of Vande Mataram”. The resolution apparently refers to a fatwa reportedly issued in 2006 by Darul Uloom, Deoband, instructing Muslims not to participate in the celebrations planned by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to mark the centenary of Congress adopting Vande Mataram as the National Song on September 7, 1906, as it December 1-15,

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would require the singing of Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay’s soul-stirring immortal lines. The mullahs of Deoband need not have worried. Whoever had given the idea to Mr Arjun Singh had got his date wrong. The planned celebrations turned into a fiasco after historians pointed out that the Congress never met in September 1906, so it could not have possibly adopted Vande Mataram as the National Song on that date. On that occasion, too, Indians, including Muslims, were outraged by the Deobandi fatwa reported by media. But was there really a fatwa? On September 4, CNN-IBN reported that no such fatwa had been issued by Darul Uloom, Deoband. According to this news channel, the seminary wanted to “steer clear of the issue” and insisted that it had no “role to play” in the controversy. Darul Uloom, Deoband “categorically stated it had not issued any fatwa on Vande Mataram, nor had it directed Muslim children to skip classes on September 7”. After the mandatory finger-pointing at “communal forces”, Mohatamim Maulana Margoobur Rehman told CNN-IBN, “Darul Uloom is being unnecessarily dragged into the Vande Mataram controversy.” The official website of Darul Uloom, Deoband, does not list the edict instructing Muslims not to sing Vande Mataram which has been cited by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. But the website of Darul Ifta, the fatwa division of Darul Uloom, Deoband, lists a fatwa (385/358-B/1430) dated April 7, 2009, which says Muslim children “should avoid hymning it (Vande Mataram)” as it is “against

our creed of tauheed”. A classic example of taqiya? Was the April 7, 2009 fatwa meant to set the stage for the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind’s November resolution? Why was it issued after Deoband vigorously distanced itself from the “Vande Mataram controversy”? And, what prompted Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to revive the rancid debate over whether it’s haram for Muslims to sing Vande Mataram? Was the purpose to provoke a backlash and then claim victimhood? In a sense, any discussion on the repudiation of Indian nationhood by Islamic fanatics who view India’s National Song not as a celebration of the concept of motherland as defined by our civilisational ethos but as Hindu idolatory is meaningless. There’s nothing startlingly new about the vitriolic denunciation of Vande Mataram by Maulana Mahmood Madani and his ilk who believe “bringing women into the mainstream will create social problems and issues including their security”, want India’s Muslims to “don their Islamic identity”, say salam instead of namaste and live in a joyless, dark world of ignorance where sharia’h will apply to girls as young as 10 years old. We have heard similar denunciation of Vande Mataram with the explicit purpose of hurting the sensitivities of India’s majority Hindu community and rejecting India as a nation earlier too. And the attack has not been restricted to our National Song. Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (better known as Ali Mian) of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, the other famous Islamic seminary, was unrestrained

by such considerations as Hindu sentiments. “Cow-slaughter in India is a ‘great Islamic practice’, said Mujaddid Alaf Saani II. This was his farsightedness that he described cow-slaughter in India as a ‘great Islamic practice’. It may not be so in other places. But it is definitely a great Islamic act in India because the cow is worshipped in India,” Ali Mian said in an address to a congregation of Indian and Pakistani ulema in Jeddah on April 3, 1986. Ali Mian and his fellow ulema on the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, which lacks legitimacy yet holds Muslims in thraldom, were to later issue a fatwa against the singing of Vande Mataram by Muslims. Issuing fatwas against Vande Mataram can be traced to Congress’s willing capitulation in the face of opposition by those who place faith over nation. In 1923, the Congress met at Kakinada and Maulana Mohamed Ali was brought to the venue in a procession led by a raucous band. As was the practice, the session was scheduled to begin with a rendition of Vande Mataram by Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. When Pandit Paluskar rose to sing what had by then become the anthem of India’s freedom movement, Maulana Mohamed Ali protested, saying music was a “taboo in Islam” and, therefore, singing Vande Mataram would “hurt” his religious sensitiveness. Pandit Paluskar retorted that the Congress session was an open gathering and not a religious congregation; and since Maulana Mohamed Ali had not found the band that led his procession as “taboo in Islam”, he could not object to the singing of Vande Mataram. He then went on to sing Bankim’s composition which Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi associated with “the purest national spirit”. December 1-15,

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It is this national spirit which bothers those among us who are loath to see their identity linked to the identity of India. At the far end we have the likes of Maulana Mahmood Madani with their separatist agenda, but that does not mean every Muslim is persuaded by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind’s bunkum. My respect for Mr Shahid

Siddiqui has gone up by leaps and bounds for thumbing his nose at the mullahs and declaring that he not only sings Vande Mataram but sings it with pride. Mr Siddiqui is not in a minority of one — there are many Muslims who will lend their voice to him because they are proud to be Indian. Courtesy: The Pioneer

Civic polls won’t hinder antiNaxal offensive : Raman Singh

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s Chhattisgarh gears up to take on Maoist menace head on, the State Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh interacting with media persons on November 20 has reiterated his Government’s resolve to end Naxalism and also ensure trouble-free conduct of the forthcoming civic body polls. The local body elections in Chhattisgarh will be held in three phases in December. Notification for elections to the local bodies, including municipal councils, municipal corporations and Panchayats has been issued by the State Election Commission. Polls are scheduled for December 21, 24 and 27 and counting will be on December 30. Dr. Raman Singh said, “The local body polls will not come in the way of anti-Maoist operation”. He added there are separate battalions for different purposes. According to police sources, the State has received nine battalions of Central forces including BSF and ITBP, exclusively for antiMaoist operation in the rebel infested areas. Besides this, there will be 21 more battalions, including CRPF and State’s CAF. Appreciating the Centre for “realising our point of view and

concern on the Naxalite problem,” Dr.Raman Singh assured the Centre of full cooperation in its effort to end the problem and free the State of Naxal menace. He said whatever effort is needed to end the Maoist menace the State will participate in it actively to achieve its goal. Dr. Singh further said that the State Government, besides armed action against the rebels, has been trying to construct roads, build schools, hospitals and provide electricity in the affected areas. Besides, the Government also has a rehabilitation scheme for the Left ultras that lay down their arms to join the mainstream society. Talking about alleged human rights’ violations by the security forces, the Chief Minister said that the Government has taken strong action wherever such incidents have been brought to its notice. He, however, had a word for all those activists and officials in Delhi and other high seats of power, who were unable to understand “the real problem”. “They should first come to the state and spend a month in Bijapur to understand the real problems in the affected tribal regions” Dr. Singh added. (FOC)

Dr. Joshi corners UPA over China Lambasts Odisha Govt. for misuse of power

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enior BJP leader and former Union minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi on November 14 lambasted the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre for its reticence on the provocative actions of China. He said ‘‘The Union Government must tell the people about the double standards of China and Pakistan on the nuclear non-proliferation while both are working hand in glove against India’’. Dr. Joshi was is in Odisha to attend the national executive committee meeting of the BJP Trade Cell at Puri told media persons in Bhubaneswar that India needs to create world opinion against China after the Sino-Pak nexus was laid bare by Pakistan nuclear scientist AQ Khan and pressure should be mounted to dismantle nuclear weapons of the two neighbouring nations who have a common target. He said China’s antipathy to India is an open secret and the Centre’s mute response to China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh has exposed its weak foreign policy. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi further said the UPA Government has failed miserably to contain China which has been trying to encircle India from all sides. It has already made its presence felt in the Arabian Sea via Pakistan and the Bay of Bengal via Myanmar. What is more baffling is the silence of the United States even after having full knowledge of the transfer of enriched uranium and nuclear technology from China to Pakistan and continuous financial and defence assistance to the latter, Dr. Joshi said. Dr .Joshi also highlighted the

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issues on how China tried to encircle India from all the corners starting from Kashmir to Myanmar. “We have to strengthen our security at the border areas and to be watchful and careful of the sinister designs of China,” he said, adding that it also helped Pakistan to acquire nuclear bombs. He apprehended the possibility that the nuclear weapons and technology required for preparation of nuclear bomb may land in the hands of the Taliban. If this happens, the entire world will be in danger, he cautioned. After the revelation of the clandestine transfer of enriched uranium and nuclear technology by Khan, China owes an explanation to the world about its role on the issue of non-proliferation, he said. Dr. Joshi added that India should pressurize and stop the USA from providing financial or defence assistance to Pakistan till it came clean on the controversial issue. BJP against Vedanta varsity on Puri-Konark marine drive On that occasion Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi came down heavily on the Odisha Govt. for misusing its power and providing all sorts of help to the Vedanta Group to set up its world-class university on the Puri-Konark marine drive. He said by acquiring huge land, it was going to build a township rather than the university itself. “Vedanta should explain where it would arrange the funds for the proposed university,” he said. Dr. Joshi further said that he

had a strong suspicion that those who were inimical to the interests of the country were providing funds to the Vedanta Group. He also questioned where it would find one lakh students. “There are a number of questions which should be answered,” he said, adding that Government should refrain from giving three crop land for the proposed university. Cautioning the Government that a Nandigram like situation would crop up in the coming days if the Government sticks to its plan on providing these lands to the Vedanta, he said farmers would soon come out to lodge their protest in a big way. On being asked why the BJP which was a coalition partner of the Government at the time of signing of MoU supported the project at that time, Joshi asked senior leader of the BJP and then Law Minister Shri Biswa Bhusan Harichandan to explain his stand. Refuting all these allegations as baseless, Shri Harichandan said that the BJP had opposed it from day one. “Even, I had rejected the explanatory note given by the Puri Temple administration on the issue of giving land,” said Shri Harichandan. Dr. Joshi further demanded that a CBI inquiry should be held on the mining scam to reveal the truth. State BJP President Shri Suresh Pujari, BJP National Vice-President Shri Jual Oram, BJP Legislature Party leader Shri KV Singh Deo and other senior leaders were present at the meeting.

he Bharatiya Janata Party on November 19 “chargesheeted” the Mayawati government for misgovernance and pursuing anti-people policies. The charge-sheet, in the form of a memorandum, was submitted to Uttar Pradesh Governor Shri B.L. Joshi at Raj Bhavan in Lucknow by a BJP delegation led by the State President Shri Ramapati Ram Tripathi. Demanding appropriate action against the government, the BJP has threatened to launch an agitation if its demand was not fulfilled. “We intend to go to the people armed with the charge-sheet and will build public opinion seeking the dismissal of the government,” Shri Tripathi said. The charge-sheet was prepared after analysing the Mayawati government’s performance, Shri Tripathi said at a press conference. He accused the government of undermining constitutional bodies by violating their orders and patronising criminals and the mafia, and held it responsible for “administrative terrorism.” He also charged the government with looting the State Exchequer through projects being launched with the sole purpose of making money. He also charged the state government to extend the helping hand to mafiosi to indugle into criminal acts. The BSP Government looted the state exchequer and alleged that entire state witnessed the unlawful realisation of ‘Maya Tax’ he said. Corruption has been institutionalised, and it was impossible for the people to get their work done without bribing the December 1-15,

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babus and officials, he added. Shri Tripathi further slammed the government for booking BJP workers in fake cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the National Security Act, and the Gangster’s Act. Human rights violation, crimes against women and artificial shortage of essential commodities were the other points in the BJP charge-sheet. He said that the innocents were falsely implicated and during the BSP Government the state experienced gross missrule of the SC/ST Act. “Even the National Human Right Commission has admitted that Uttar Pradseh tops the list in the violation of human rights.” he said. He said the farmers and the traders were the worst sufferers

under the BSP regime. The farmers from the very beginning of the present government were victimised on every count and the cane growers were stabbed in the back as Mayawati Government instead of safeguarding the intrests of the cane farmers left no stone unturned to serve the purposes of the sugar mill owners” he said. He alleged that trading community also faced various problems and a record numbers of traders were abducted for the ransom and it has become a daunting task to keep on their business running safely. Demanding a price of Rs.300 per quintal of sugarcane for the growers, the state President said the government had played into the hands of sugar mill owners and left the farmers in the lurch. (FOC)

UPA ministers’ travel cost nation Rs 300 cr in 3 years Cabinet ministers in the previous UPA government, according to the TOI, ran up a bill of Rs 300 crore between 2006 and 2009, the last three years of its term, travelling within and outside the country. The staggering figure, revealed in a reply to a RTI query by activist Subhash Chandra Aggarwal, indicates the extent of spending by public representatives even as the country was sliding into an economic slowdown. According to the cabinet secretariat, cabinet ministers — 30 in all in the UPA’s first term — spent Rs 137 crore on foreign travel between fiscal 2006-07 and 2008-09 with highest in the year 2007-08 when more than Rs 115 crore was spent. Incidentally, domestic travel too cost the public exchequer a pretty penny with the amount spent totaling Rs 163 crore. The expenditure incurred by them during 2008-09 was Rs 94.4 crore, which was 38% more than the cumulative expenditure incurred on domestic travel in the previous two years. About Rs 127 crore was spent by central ministers in 2008-09, Rs 138.7 crore in 2007-08 and about Rs 82.3 crore during 200607 on their visits abroad as well as within the country. The reply from cabinet secretariat did not give any further breakup of expenses in different heads as they are held by the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDO) of different ministries. (FOC)

India just can’t read Pakistan By G Parthasarathy

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evelopments in the Pakistani Army establishment where they are, and couldn’t get Afghanistan and Pakistan led by Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani them, if they really wanted to”. will figure prominently had joined forces with the Cautioning Pakistan on cross-border when Prime Minister Manmohan Opposition Muslim League led by terrorism it promotes in Singh visits the Obama White former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif neighbouring India and House on November 24. to undermine President Asif Ali Afghanistan Ms Clinton asserted: The Obama Administration has Zardari by voicing serious “If we are going to have a mature handled events related to the recent reservations and calling for the partnership where we work together, re-election of Mr Hamid Karzai as rejection of the Kerry-Lugar Act, there are issues that not just the President of Afghanistan in a crude which pledges $ 7.5 billion in United States, but others have with and insensitive manner. By publicly assistance to Pakistan. The aid your Government and your military humiliating Mr Karzai, Washington comes at a time when Pakistan’s own security establishment”. has only weakened a leader set to revenues cannot even meet the cost Pakistan’s military and its play a crucial role in political allies do not emerging developments in The prolonged period that the Obama appear to have been Afghanistan. affected by Ms Clinton’s Moreover, the Administration has taken to review its public admonition. prolonged period that the policies on Afghanistan has given an While the military Obama Administration has impression of dithering and uncertainty continues its operations taken to review its policies the Tehrik-eon the most crucial foreign policy against on Afghanistan has given Taliban Pakistan in South an impression of dithering challenge that Washington faces today. Waziristan, primarily and uncertainty on the because the TTP has most crucial foreign policy challenge of the Government’s administrative challenged the Army, the ISI that Washington faces today. This expenditure with Pakistan’s continues to back Taliban military has only confused countries like economic growth having plummeted commanders led by Sirajuddin India which have sought to to two per cent in 2008-2009. Haqqani in neighbouring North complement Washington’s efforts The longest meeting that Ms Waziristan who have relentlessly to strengthen Afghanistan Clinton had in Islamabad was not staged terrorist attacks in internally. These developments are with President Zardari or Prime Afghanistan, including on the also encouraging the Taliban and Minister Yousaf Gilani, but with Gen Indian Embassy in Kabul and on Al Qaeda to believe that they will Kayani together with ISI Chief Lt Indian workers throughout succeed in efforts to promote Gen Shuja Pasha, with whom she Afghanistan. terrorism globally. spent three hours. After the meeting Moreover, the Taliban political Vice President Joseph Biden with the Army brass and irked by leadership led by Mullah Omar, reportedly advocates action against orchestrated criticism of US policies popularly known as the ‘Quetta Taliban and Al Qaeda hideouts in while in Lahore, which echoed what Shura’, remains comfortably Pakistan, and even as Mr Obama she heard in Islamabad, Ms Clinton ensconced in Quetta. While pondered over what to do next in publicly voiced her misgivings reviewing policies on Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Secretary of State about continuing support by the Obama Administration will Hillary Clinton paid a well-planned Pakistan’s military establishment for sooner or later have to decide on visit to Pakistan intended to reassure the Taliban and Al Qaeda. On whether it can realistically contain the Pakistanis of American October 29 she said: “Al Qaeda has the Taliban or its Al Qaeda allies in commitment to their welfare, stability had a safe haven in Pakistan since Afghanistan without exercising the and prosperity. 2002. I find it difficult to believe that ‘Biden Option’ of striking at their The visit came at a time when nobody in your Government knows bases in Pakistan across the Durand

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Line. Recent revelations by the FBI of the Lashkare-Tayyeba links of two Chicago residents of Pakistani origin, who were plotting terrorist strikes against targets in Denmark and India, clearly establish that Pakistan-based terrorist organisations like the LeT now have a worldwide reach and, like the Al Qaeda, a worldwide agenda of terrorism. The terrorist attacks planned against India were intended to be a continuation of the earlier terrorist strikes on Mumbai and elsewhere. The prime accused, Daood Gilani aka David Headley, was in touch with Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistan Army commando of Pakistan’s elite Special Services Group. Kashmiri was used by the ISI in the 1980s for training the Afghan mujahideen and in the 1990s for terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir. He escaped after being captured by Indian forces in Poonch in 1994. Interestingly, while Kashmiri was later charged with an attempt to assassinate Gen Pervez Musharraf and for the assassination of a former commander of the SSG, Maj Gen Faisal Alvi in 2008, he was allowed to get away and seek refuge in North Waziristan alongside Afghan Taliban military commander Sirajuddin Haqqani, who Gen Kayani reportedly regards as a ‘strategic asset’ of the ISI. The LeT was reportedly planning to attack elite schools in north India, reminiscent of the attack by Chechen terrorists in Beslan, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of school children. Chechen terrorists have longstanding links with the Taliban, Al Qaeda, the LeT and with political parties in Pakistan like the Jamat-eIslami. Home Minister P Chidambaram and the Indian Army December 1-15,

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chief have warned that future terrorist attacks will not go unpunished. Interestingly, the establishment’s reaction in Pakistan to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s speech in Kashmir was voiced by former Senator and Muslim League politician, Mr Mushahid Hussain, who has longstanding links with the Pakistani Army and the LeT. Mr Hussain asserted that Mr Singh’s recent readiness for unconditional dialogue was because of growing fears in India about Maoist violence, insinuating that the offer for talks was because of India’s internal compulsions. India has continuously misread the internal dynamics of Pakistan. Even in late 2007, our High

Commission in Islamabad and luminaries in South Block believed that Gen Musharraf remained strong and virtually invincible. Right now there seems to be little appreciation of the fact that it is Gen Kayani and not President Zardari who determines and dictates policy in Islamabad. Anyone who knows Gen Kayani’s approach to relations with India, even from the days he commanded the 12th Infantry Division in Murree, knows that he is pathologically anti-Indian and regards the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba and the Afghan Taliban as ‘strategic assets’. Mr Singh needs to convey these realities to Washington while responding to any calls for a revival of the composite dialogue process. (Courtesy: The Pioneer)

UPA fails to curb terrorism Repeated Bomb Blasts in Assam On November 22, seven people were killed and 55, including minor children, injured in two bicycle-bomb blasts in Nalbari, headquarters town of lower Assam's district . The first blast occurred just near the Nalbari Police Station in the heart of the town around 10 a.m., injuring several people. As a huge crowd of market-goers gathered to help the injured and to witness the blast aftereffects, another powerful blast occurred soon a few feet away from the first blast site. Five people died on the spot in the second blast and over 50 were injured, several critically. Two people died later in hospitals. About 30 seriously injured were admitted to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) along with other hospitals. (FOC)

The Chinese mischief By MV Kamath

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hat is the matter with China which, for quite some time now, has been behaving like a medieval country led by leaders of the dubious status of Timurlane and Chenghiz Khan? Does it really think that it can get away with armed intervention in neighbouring countries? It speaks with a forked tongue. On the one hand, it makes threatening noises concerning India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. On the other, it speaks of advancing its strategic “cooperative partnership” with India, by holding a number of “commemorative activities” to celebrate sixty years of Sino-Indian diplomatic relationship. As things stand - whatever the results of the “extensive” exchange of views between leaders of both the countries in Bangalore and elsewhere - China thus far has proved itself to be untrustworthy. It apparently has no sense of gratitude. It respects no mutual agreement. In 2005 when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited India, an agreement was drawn up between the two countries on modalities for resolving the boundary issues. One of the clauses (Clause 4) of the agreement was that there will be no transfer of population. The Chinese are now cheekily reneging on this clause because of Tawang. Arunachal Pradesh, incidentally, has returned Congress to power with a resounding majority in the freest and fairest elections. China claims to be friendly towards India. But every recent step it has taken has been most unfriendly. It began with the Chinese Communist Party calling December 1-15,

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~~~~~~☯☯☯~~~~~~

China claims to be friendly towards India. But every recent step it has taken has been most unfriendly. It began with the Chinese Communist Party calling Jawaharlal Nehru “a running dog of AngloAmerican imperialism”. It went on to supply Pakistan with nuclear technology and missiles. It has been projecting India as a “hegemon” in South Asia. ~~~~~~☯☯☯ ~~~~~~ Jawaharlal Nehru “a running dog of Anglo-American imperialism”. It went on to supply Pakistan with nuclear technology and missiles. It has been projecting India as a “hegemon” in South Asia. In June, it blocked an Indian move in the UN to declare the Pakistani Jamaat-udDawa chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed as a terrorist, on the ground that the evidence against him was not sufficient. Earlier this year, the Chinese opposed an Asian Development Bank assistance to India for development projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

True, China failed to get its way, but its viciousness is on record. It is common knowledge that Chinese troops along the India-China (Tibet) border have frequently transgressed the 1993 Peace and Tranquility Treaty (PTT) and the 1996 Confidence Building Measures agreement, both signed at the highest level. Beijing has no excuse to provide for its current provocative activities. India is now seen - as is evident in an article published in the official daily Ta Kung Pao - in a strategic alliance with both the United States and Russia. India must now move to make strategic alliances with South Korea, Japan, not to speak of Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia to encircle China, just as Beijing is attempting to make common cause with Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and even Bangladesh, though Dhaka under a new government is showing signs of resisting China’s overtures. Beijing must be clearly told that it takes two to play a game. It must further be warned that it is playing with fire. But let us consider a scenario when Beijing sends troops into Arunachal Pradesh. How many will it send? Brigade strength? India thereupon takes reciprocal action. There is shooting. The fighting excalates. Indian, long alert, responds strongly. More killings. Then one of two things can happen. One, excalation of conflict leading to the use of nuclear weapons with both countries paying a heavy price. Two, the UN Security Council springs into action, demanding an instant Cease-fire. India may agree, provided China withdraws its troops

from Arunachal Pradesh and elsewhere. A status quo ante is maintained under the powerful prodding of an enraged Security Council. But what if China refuses to comply with a Security Council resolution to halt escalating conflict? Where will that leave India? Does India have the right kind of friends in the United Nations? But even if it has no friends, will it be in the interests of various powers to see China militarily lording it over Asia? Alternately, will the Security Council insist on sending the SinoIndian border dispute to be settled by the World Court or by an international arbitration body? That may help both India and China as a face-saving device. That is a possibility that cannot be discounted. The more important question is: will China provoke a war that could get out of hand and result in millions of deaths, just to win a few square miles or disputed territory? Is its pride such that it would rather see the world destroyed, than to compromise and come to reasonable terms with India? There are reports that we are at the end of Kali Yuga and may soon witness a pralaya. Judging from current trends a pralaya seems most likely to overtake the entire world. But then, another doubt arises. Can it be, can it just be, that China is behaving the way it is currently behaving, to turn India’s attention away from Pakistan which is on the verge of total collapse? If Pakistan cannot prevent a jehadi attack on its own Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, then what remains of it as a nation? It seems that it is about to break into a thousand pieces, one cannot dismiss the likelihood of the Pakistan Army, in its desperation, asking China to keep India engaged, lest it takes the present opportunity December 1-15,

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to attack its western neighbour, and complete the latter’s dissolution. India may not have anything of that sort in mind. Pakistan is in an self-destroying mode and it is best left alone. The pillars of Pakistan are being pounded from within, one after another. On October 15, the militants - call them by whatever name attacked three law enforcement agencies in Pakistan, the fifth major strike in that god-forsaken state in a little over a week and four days after an audacious assault on the Army HQ itself. The October 15 attack on the regional hub of the Federal Investigation Agency and two Police Training Centres resulted in the killing of 29 people that

included 14 police officers, five civilians and ten militants. Another 11 people were killed in a suicide car bombing taking the day’s toll to 40. It indicates that Pakistan’s military, political, economic and cultural life have been breached. Pakistan is in danger of imminent collapse. Is it to prevent a possible - just possible Indian intervention that China is trying to draw Indian attention away from Pakistan? Anything is possible. The important thing is that China has shown that it cannot be trusted, the MOU on Climate Change signed on October 21 with India notwithstanding. It is time for Delhi to be on the red alert. Courtesy: The Organiser

Despite tall claims and assurances

96% women in Delhi feel unsafe

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omen in Delhi are not very confident of their safety outside of their homes. Around 96 percent women in Delhi feel unsafe according to a recent survey by an Indian NGO. The survey was conducted by an NGO called the Centre for Equity and Inclusion (CEQUIN), as part of their “Make Delhi Safe For Women” campaign. According to the survey, 82 percent of women felt that bus is the most unsafe mode of transport in Delhi. More than 60 percent of women said that girls less than 10 years are most vulnerable, while 88 percent of women feel that when a women is harassed in a public place, she rarely or never gets any help from anyone. Of the women who were interviewed only 19 percent felt that victims should report to the police

while 44 percent of the abused respondents had chosen to remain silent after the incident. During the survey, CEQUIN also found out that most women chose to be silent because they felt ultimately they would be blamed somehow for the incident. “One woman told us that she kept quiet because otherwise her parents would not allow her to go out,” Lora Prabhu, co-founder of CEQUIN told AHN. “Another woman told us that if she talked about her sexual harassment, she would be told to change her dressing style so that she didn’t attract male attention and so on.” Ninety-five percent of women admitted that their mobility was restricted because of fear of being harassed by men in public places.

Modi inaugurates Mumbai chapter of Bihar foundation Presents scholarships to three Maharashtra students

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eputy Chief Minister Shri Sushil Kumar Modi inaugurated the Bihar Foundation, Mumbai Chapter at Y. B. Chawan Auditorium in Mumbai on 8th of November. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Modi said that Bihar Foundation Mumbai Chapter would work as an umbrella organization acting as a guide to Bihari groups for the resurgence of Bihar. A number of individual Biharbased groups have already agreed to come under the fold of the Mumbai Chapter prominent among them being the Rashtriya Bihar Sangh, Bihar Pravasi Mandal, Anjuman-E-Bashindgan-e-Bihar, Bihar Mitra Mandal, Bihar Nav Chetna Sangh, and Bihar Vishwakarma Samaj Samiti. On the occasion, Shri Modi presented awards to various people for making their mark in a host of areas, chief among them being Shri B. N. Singh, Managing Director of Alkem Ltd, Shri Uday Shankar, CEO, Star TV India, Shri Udit Narayan Jha, singer, and Dr. Badrul Hassan in the field of social service. Modi was also the first person to register himself as a member of the chapter. Shri Satyajit Narayan Singh, Bihar Foundation Public Relations Manager said people of Bihari origin could become a member of the foundation by simply calling 022-67375400, a feature sponsored by the Spanco Ltd. Shri Modi addressed a gathering of over 5,000 people. He also presented scholarships of Rs. 500 each to three Maharashtrian students coming from humble backgrounds. December 1-15,

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A 15-bed Bihar Medical Center with one ophthalmologist, one orthopedic, one pediatrician, and a gynecologist was also inaugurated at Nagpada. The CEO of the Gammon India Ltd Shri Probal Mukherjee and Adarsh Bagaria of Spanco Ltd, in a meeting with Modi and Shri Vivek Kumar Singh, CEO, Bihar Foundation, expressed their desire to invest in power and telecom sector to the tune of Rs. 200 crore in Bihar. In addition, CEO and Director of Reliance Energy and Infrastructure, Shri Lalit Jalan, showed interest in investing over Rs.1000 crore in power, road, and other infrastructure projects in Bihar,Shri Satyajit Narayan Singh

said. Shri Ravi Shankar Srivastava, Chairman of the Mumbai Chapter of the foundation, gave the vote of thanks to the team of 22 artists from Bhartiya Nritya Kala Mandir, Patna who performed Bihari Lok Geet under ‘Sanskriti Bodh Srinkhla’ and to Gaurav Jha, actor and mime artist, Rashmi Priya, singer, and Akanksha who was the compere of the show. The event was also attended by Bihar Art, Culture and Youth Minister Smt. Renu Devi. (FOC)

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Courtesy : MailToday

Himachal by-election

BJP records a historical win

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imachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party made history by winning by-election to Rohroo (Shimla) assembly constituency for the first time since elections were held in independent India. It also marks a decisive inroad into the so far considered the invincible citadel of Congress. Notably Rohroo had been the pocket borough of 5-time chief minister and present Union Steel Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh who had been winning this seat with comfortable margins since 1990. It marks yet another feather in the cap of Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal. But BJP was candidate defeated in Jawali (Kangra) constituency. Both the seats had fallen vacant because of the election of the sitting MLAs as MPs in May 2009 — Shri Rajan Sushant (BJP) and Shri Virbhadra Singh (Congress). Shri Khushi Ram Balnatah (BJP) who had been contesting against Shri Virbhadra Singh won this time against Congress candidate Shri

BJP wins MP co-op bank election Former BJP MLA Shri Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat was elected unopposed to the prestigious post, was held since 1958 by either Congress members or bureaucrats. The grip of the oldest national party had been weakening on different rungs of the cooperative sector since 2003 when the BJP wrested power from it. In the last few years the bank’s elections could not be held due to legal hurdles. Directors elected on November 11 facilitated unanimous election of Shri Shekhawat and two deputy chairmen. (FOC) December 1-15,

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Manjit Singh. Shri Balnatah had been improving both his number and percentage of votes in each election. The Jawali seat has been alternating between BJP and Congress since 1982. In Jawali Congress wrested the seat from BJP and in Rohroo BJP snatched it from Congress. Historical win More creditable and respectable was the margin with which BJP candidate, Shri Khushi Ram Balnatah won in Rohroo. In December 2007 Shri Virbhadra Singh had registered a victory by a margin of 14,137 votes. BJP turned the tables on both the Congress and Shri Virbhadra Singh this time by winning the seat by a margin of 8,473 votes, implying a gain of popular mandate for BJP by 22,610 over Congress in just 22 months. Shri Virbhadra Singh personally campaigned for over a week. Since becoming a Union Minister he had been too frequently visiting the

constituency and showering favours. For BJP Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal had taken full command of the campaigning. He was assisted by BJP organization and sitting MP Shri Virendra Kashyap and State President Shri Khmi Ram, many MLAs and ministers. This victory marks the spreading of BJP wings in areas so far inaccessible to the party. In 2007 assembly elections BJP had, for the first time, won Jubbal-Kotkhai seat. BJP National Vice-President Shri Shanta Kumar had also campaigned in the by-elections. “This is victory of the policies of BJP and its government”, said Prof. Dhumal. “People (in Rohro) were fed up with false promises of Virbhadra Singh.” State BJP leadership has claimed this victory as the reiteration of approval and support for the programmes and policies of the BJP government headed by Prof. Dhumal. (FOC)

Kerala by-elections

BJP showing improves

BJP may not have been able to win a single seat in the Kerala assembly election. But the party continues to improve its position in the number of votes and vote percentage. One of the significant aspects of the outcome of the bypolls in the three Assembly constituencies of Kerala held on 7 November is the magnificent showing of the BJP candidates. In all the three seats, the party candidates improved their vote score. State Mahila Morcha President Smt. Sobha Surendran was indeed the brightest among the three. She improved the party’s vote kitty in Ernakulam to 7,208 from what Shri Nedumbassery Ravi had polled in 2006 election: 4,902 votes. The party’s vote-share in Ernakulam went up from 5.65 per cent in 2006 to 7.80 per cent in this bypoll. She said that the victory of Congress in Ernakulam could not be accepted as a democratic achievement as it had scored it with religious and extremist votes. Those who projected the BJP as a loser in Alappuzha constituency in the light of the performance in 2006 of party candidate, Shri Parayil Radhakrishnan were proved wrong this time when BJP leader Shri K Babu bagged 2,247 votes. A similar achievement for the party was seen in Kannur, where BJP candidate K Ranjith bagged 5,665 votes, up from 4,519 votes, polled by Shri Bhagyaseelan Chalad in 2006. (FOC)

Uttrakhand

Youth must pledge for betterment of mankind : Nishank

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hief Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank called upon the youth to take pledge for making Uttarakhand a model State. In his address to the three-day long 10th State convention of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on November 16, 2009 Shri Nishank asserted that we can be a model or ideal State only when we become strong culturally, morally and then economically. A nation can be strong enough in terms of wealth and military power, but it can be called strong only when it attains that strength through spiritualism, he added. Expressing concern over the moral degeneration in society, the Chief Minister further said that India was once called spiritual guru of the world. Our ancient civilization still acts as a guiding principle for the rest of mankind and it will continue to do so. More so our belief in ‘Vasudev Kutambakam’, world as one family, confirms this belief. Only we can think of it. It needs inner strength to think so. For that matter it is the duty of the young minds of this country to come forward who are the future of this country, he added. Congratulating the ABVP for its success in various student body elections, the Chief Minister said that ABVP is the biggest student organisation in the world. You can play a great role in the society by protecting our socio-cultural values. We have to take pledge for betterment of mankind. And that could be achieved only through social harmony, mutual trust and respect and by way of defeating the divisive forces. Thousands of students have taken part in this convention. On the one hand, the students leaders are deliberating upon its role given new challenges on socio-cultural fronts and what could be its possible role in future, one the other exhibitions of what it has achieved during the past 60 years of history are giving them a kind of inspiration. The ABVP’s main achievements of the past six decades which are depicted here includes “First Demand Letter’, gathering of over 10,000 students leaders in Delhi in 1970, its protest against emergency, ‘Teen Bigha Aandolan,’ Save Kashmir protest in 2002 and Movement against Bangladeshi infiltrators, to name a few. (FOC)

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CM unveils Vision 2020 The various plans constituting the vision 2020 envision the level of development in the fields of tourism, power, Char Dham Yatra and medical herbs in Uttarakhand which will put the State on the list of more advanced States in India. Addressing a Press conference on November 20, 2009 Chief Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that in the short span since the creation of Uttarakhand, the State had succeeded in carving out a special identity for itself in the national and international arena. He averred that due to the efforts of the State Government, Uttarakhand had been selected as the focus State in the ongoing International Trade Fair in the national capital Delhi. He has advised the officials to implement every project with double speed to make the state more advanced and he also took serious note of the delay being experienced in the execution of various development works by different departments at the District level. He directed the District Magistrate and Chief Development Officer to periodically review execution of development works by departments to ensure timely completion of the much required development works. The CM also stressed on the importance of maintaining transparency in the execution of various Government schemes and development work projects. He further stressed that the State Government was committed to resolving the problems caused by the shortage of doctors especially in Government medical treatment facilities located in the remote rural areas of the State. The Government has accorded top priority to the redress of problems being experienced in medical health treatment facilities in the State, he said. He further stated that implementation of the sixth pay commission had resulted in creating an addition financial burden of up to Rs 3,000 crore on the State Government. He said that the State would hold talks with UP Chief Minister Mrs. Mayawati regarding the case of Rs 7,500 crore pension money. State BJP President Shri BS Chufal, State Minister Shri Matbar Singh Kandari and Shri Kedarnath, Smt. Asha Nautiyal MLA were also among those present on the occasion.

State Reports

From Our Correspondents

CHHATTISGARH

CM launches Global SEZ near Belgaum

State to give bonus to farmers at par with Centre Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh has announced that his Government will give bonus to paddy farmers at par with that of the Union Government. The move has upset the State Congress leaders who have been trying to corner the State Government over the issue for quite some time. Presiding over Collectors’ conference in Raipur on November 19 the Chief Minister announced that the State Government will give Rs 50 per quintal as bonus to the farmer. The same amount is being given by the Central Government. “If the Centre hikes the subsidy rate, the State Government will also increase the amount,” a top source said. The Government’s decision will put an additional burden of Rs 200 crore for the paddy procurement season 2009-2010. He said the Government will also request the Centre to increase the bonus amount for the paddy farmers. Dr. Singh also asked the collectors to waive the electricity bills of farmers who used power for irrigation purpose between June - September this year. KARNATAKA

‘Asare’ homes in 6 months: Yeddyurappa Chief Minister Shri BS Yeddyurappa said that house construction work under ‘Asare’ scheme for the floodaffected people would be completed in six months. He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the rehabilitation programme ‘Asare’ at Bichali village in Raichur on November 13. “The present norms to provide Rs 15,000 would not serve any purpose. Hence with the coordination of private parties, the state government has decided to spend Rs 1 lakh for each house. In Bichali, Cisco Systems, Bangalore, has come forward to construct houses. Philanthropists have promised to donate more than Rs 40 crore for houses for the flood affected,” he said. He said that his health did not permit him to participate in the programme. “But I came here to wipe the tears of people. Farmers should be given assistance or else they will revolt. I have received complaints that a bank official had taken the compensation cheque given to a farmer and adjusted it in his crop loan account,” he added. December 1-15,

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Chief Minister Shri B S Yeddyurappa launched India’s first aerospace precision engineering and manufacturing ecosystem - The QUEST Global Special Economic Zone near Belgaum. The QUEST Global SEZ has been established on 300 acres of land with an initial investment of Rs 150 crore. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Yeddyurappa said that state government has proposed to establish a land bank for the benefit of industrialists. ‘‘The government has a plan to acquire 50,000 acres of land for this purpose. We have invited investors to invest in the state as it is the best destination for them. With commencement of QUEST Global SEZ, which manufactures aerospace precision engineering, Karnataka has been identified as one of the important states in the nation in aero space sector as it has HAL, NAL ISRO etc,’’ Shri Yeddyurappa said. The SEZ will benefit North Karnataka region to a large extent. ‘‘We are looking forward to create more than 7,000 jobs for locals,’’ he said UTTARAKHAND

CM asks Centre to extend the industrial package till 2020 The Uttarakhand Government demanded that the Centre extend the industrial package given to the State by another 10 years from 2010, since it was necessary to attract investments. Interacting with media persons, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ’Nishank’ said, “Ours is a new State. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA Government had provided us with an industrial package till 2013. But the governments which came later reduced the period till 2010. I have written a letter to the Prime Minister to extend the package till 2020 like the NorthEastern States,” To a question on the reasons behind the Centre’s decision to reduce the period, he said “I do not understand the reason behind the move to snatch the industrial package.” He said he has requested President Smt. Pratibha Patil to intervene in the matter. “If need be, I will meet the Prime Minister on the issue.” The Chief Minister said the Central Government has also limited the assistance to be provided to the State for Kumbha Mela. “Earlier, the Centre was to provide Rs.400 crore for Kumbh and another Rs.330 crore to help us complete related projects. Now the Central assistance has been limited to Rs.400 crore only,” he said. He also demanded Rs.10,000 crore per annum to maintain the ecology of the State saying that

at present Uttarakhand is spending the money to safeguard its forest cover from its own funds.

If required Army help to be sought for Kumbh Mela In order to prevent any untoward incident during the first Maha Kumbh Mela of the century in Haridwar, state govt. has made provision for adequate number of police, PAC and Para-military forces in addition to which the help of the Army personnel would also be taken if and when required to ensure smooth conduct of the event. According to information confirmed by official sources, the Army and the Mela administration have reached an agreement whereby the Army will also be deployed at bathing and other important events during the Maha Kumbh Mela. In view of the rise in activities of terrorists and armed anti-social elements across the nation, the State Government is trying to provide fool-proof security arrangements for the Kumbh Mela. As this is the first Maha Kumbh Mela to be held in the State for the first time since formation of Uttarakhand as a new State, the success of the event is being considered a prestige issue for the State Government. In order to facilitate the required level of security the State has deployed 15,000 personnel including Army, police, PAC and para-military forces for the Kumbh Mela. According to DIG police, the police, PAC and paramilitary forces will undertake measures for maintaining security and regulate traffic and the help of BEG jawans will be sought in emergency situations. The police averred that two types of approaches to maintaining security were being undertaken with one

consisting of trained manpower and other consisting of the latest technology modern surveillance and communication equipment. One company of commandos and three bomb disposal squads would also be deployed on duty during the Kumbh Mela. HIMACHAL PRADESH

BJP Govt. to promote rural sports in HP Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the State Government was all set to promote sports activities in the State and main emphasis was being laid on the rural sports. “The State Government has decided to provide play fields in every gram panchayats of the State and stadiums in every development block by year 2015-16,” said Prof. Dhumal while inaugurating the state level ‘Panchyat Yuva Krida Avm Khel Abhiyan’ for under-18 students. Claiming that the performance of our players was par excellence as it had been proved during the National Women festival at Hamirpur last year and this year too, he said, “Three per cent seats in the Government sector had been reserved for the outstanding sportspersons of the State.” He also announced the increase in the grants of the sports’ associations in the State. “In future, the associations who were getting Rs 20,000 will now get Rs 35,000 likewise who were getting Rs 35,000 will now get Rs 50,000; and who were getting Rs 50,000 will now get Rs 75,000. The hockey ground in Indira Stadium, which in bad condition will also be reconstructed soon,” he added.

Continued from page 12 Puram, Khazuri, Seelampur, Karawal Nagar Road, Babarpur Road, Janak Puri, Tilak Nagar, Uttam Nagar, Najafgarh, Malviya Nagar, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Mehrauli, Badarpur, Rohini, Budh Vihar, Adarsh Nagar, Indira Nagar, Azad Nagar, Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Ashok Vihar, Narela Mandi, Jehangirpuri, Yusuf Sarai, Hauz Khas, Green Park and Safdarjung observed complete Bandh. The largest trading centre of Delhi Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar remained completely closed. The Halwais, Paanwalas and Rehri Patri walas also supported the call for Bandh by closing their business for the day. In Chandni Chowk the Bandhh was led by Shri Vijay Goel, Madan Lal Khurana, Praveen Khandelwal and Manohar Lal Kumar. Prof. Kohli told that Delhi Bandh has proved that there is great anguish among the people against price rise and they hold the Central UPA Government and the Congress Government in Delhi responsible for this. The wrong economic policies and economic mismanagement by the Congress are responsible for price rise. Prof. Kohli warned the govt. that now the people shall not remain silent and if the govt. does not change the direction of its economic policies then the anger of the people may become uncontrollable. The BJP will always be with the people in protest against price rise and will organize various programmes for expressing the people's anger in future also. December 1-15,

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Golden Words

Ahimsa By Sri Swami Sivananda

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n the regeneration and divinisation of man, the first step is to eliminate his beastly nature. The predominant trait in beasts is cruelty. Therefore, wise sages prescribe Ahimsa (noninjury). This is the most effective master-method to counteract and eradicate completely the brutal, cruel Pasu-Svabhava (bestial nature) in man. Practice of Ahimsa develops love. Ahimsa is another name for truth or love. Ahimsa is universal love. It is pure love. It is divine Prem. Where there is love, there you will find Ahimsa. Where there is Ahimsa, there you will find love and selfless service. They all go together. The one message of all saints and prophets of all times and climes, is the message of love, of Ahimsa, of selfless service. Ahimsa is the noblest and best of traits that are found expressed in the daily life and activities of perfected souls. Ahimsa is the one means, not only to attain Salvation, but also to enjoy uninterrupted peace and bliss. Man attains peace by injuring no living creature. There is one religion the religion of love, of peace. There is one message, the message of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is a supreme duty of man. Ahimsa, or refraining from causing pain to any living creature, is a distinctive quality emphasized by Indian ethics. Ahimsa or nonviolence has been the central doctrine of Indian culture from the earliest days of its history. Ahimsa is a great spiritual force. Ahimsa or non-injury, of course, implies non-killing. But, noninjury is not merely non-killing. In December 1-15,

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its comprehensive meaning, Ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever to any living creature, either by thought, word, or deed. Non-injury requires a harmless mind, mouth, and hand. Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is a positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength. AHIMSA, A QUALITY OF THE STRONG: If you practice Ahimsa, you should put up with insults, rebukes, criticisms and assaults also. You should never retaliate nor wish to offend anybody even under extreme provocation. You should not entertain any evil thought against anybody. You should not harbour anger. You should not curse. You should be prepared to lose joyfully even your life in the cause of Truth. The Ultimate Truth can be attained only through Ahimsa. Ahimsa is the acme of bravery. Ahimsa is not possible without fearlessness. Non-violence cannot be practiced by weak persons.

Ahimsa cannot be practiced by a man who is terribly afraid of death and has no power of resistance and endurance. It is a shield, not of the effeminate, but of the potent. Ahimsa is a quality of the strong. It is a weapon of the strong. When a man beats you with a stick, you should not entertain any thought of retaliation or any unkind feeling towards the tormentor. Ahimsa is the perfection of forgiveness. BENEFITS OF THE PRACTICE OF AHIMSA If you are established in Ahimsa, you have attained all virtues. Ahimsa is the pivot. All virtues revolve around Ahimsa. Just as all footprints are accommodated in those of the elephant, so also do all religious and ethical rules become merged in the great vow of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is soul-force. Hate melts in the presence of love. Hate dissolves in the presence of Ahimsa. There is no power greater than Ahimsa. The practice of Ahimsa develops will-power to a considerable degree. The practice of Ahimsa will make you fearless. He who practices Ahimsa with real faith, can move the whole world, can tame wild animals, can win the hearts of all, and can subdue his enemies. He can do and undo things. The power of Ahimsa is infinitely more wonderful and subtler than electricity or magnetism. The law of Ahimsa is as much exact and precise as the law of gravitation or cohesion. You must know the correct way to apply it intelligently and with scientific accuracy. If you are able to apply it with exactitude and precision, you can work wonders. You can command the elements and Nature also. (Excerpts from the talk given by Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh)